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Companion Planting with Herbs Herbs have many virtues. They add flavor, repel insects, are a food source and many have medicinal uses. Some are annuals, like basil and cilantro, borage, dill and fennel. Others are biennial, like parsley and feverfew. The majority are perennials like rosemary, thyme, comfrey, oregano, mints, lovage, most lavenders and many more. Some of our Favorite Herbs... Basil – great for tomatoes and peppers, use fresh, dried, or make pesto.Bay – a large evergreen shrub reaching 15-20’, best in a protected area with some shade. Use the leaves fresh or dry. Bee Balm – good with tomatoes, prefers afternoon shade. The flowers are edible, as well as the leaves and the bees love them.Borage – It will strengthen the resistance to insects and diseases of any plant neighboring it, strawberries love itChamomile – The true one is the “German”, which is a reseeding annual here. Can be used fresh or dried for teas, in dog’s areas to help fight fleas, in baths to relax. It also gives strength to any plant growing nearby. Cabbage and onions like it.Catnip – It contains an insect repellant oil, it repels fleas, ants and rodents. And of course cats love it. Grow with strawberries and eggplant.Chives – Great around roses, tomatoes, peppers and carrots. Very easy to grow, best used fresh – don’t cook with them or they won’t taste like anything. Add them at the end for best flavor.Comfrey – also known as knit bone can speed the recovery of broken bones, sprains and bruising up to 3 times. Steam leaves, wrap on injured area, hold in place with gauze, or other stretchy fabrics. Repeat 2-3 times a day. The leaves are great addition to the compost pile, adding nitrogenCoriander/Cilantro – These are the same plant at different stages. Cilantro is the immature plant. Once heat hits it will bolt and flower, the seeds that form are coriander seedDill – Loves cabbage, but hates carrots. The swallow tail caterpillars use it as a food source. Flowers are large, yellow and flat standing up to 5’ tall.Fennel – Most plants don’t like fennel, so plant it away from the garden. The swallow tails will eat this one as well. Grown as a food source in Italy.
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